U.S. Rules Stifle Rare-Earth Mining

Mining permits and safety regulations unnecessarily limit access to large U.S. stores of rare-earth minerals, according to a new report from the National Center for Policy Analysis, a nonpartisan think tank. Getting approval in the U.S. for a rare-earth minerals mine takes an average of seven years because of delays at both the federal and state levels. The U.S.’s wait time is among the longest in the world, says the report, “Rare Earth Mining Potential in the States.” In the meantime, U.S. industries and the federal government get most of their rare-earth minerals from abroad, primarily from China. The report suggests the U.S. streamline its processes and cites both Australia and Canada as countries with similar environmental regulations but where mines can be permitted on average within two years. “The U.S. needs to combine redundant and multiple agencies into a single ‘one-stop-shopping’ authority,” says study author Tom Tanton, an adjunct fellow at the center.